More Babies Are Born with Sickle Cell Anemia Each Year (STUDY)

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Summary: The number of newborns with sickle cell anemia — a hereditary blood disorder — is increasing at an alarming rate, according to a new study. Researchers say basic health services, such as universal screening, could save the lives of nearly 10 million newborns.

By Sharon Mazel | Posted: July 17, 2013

Every year there are more than 300,000 babies around the world born with sickle cell anemia — a blood disorder in which red blood cells shaped like crescent moons (or sickles) have a hard time passing through small blood vessels, blocking the flow of blood and oxygen, causing chronic pain, and making these children more susceptible to infections. A new study published in the journal PLoS Medicine suggests those numbers are expected to climb by 30 percent over the next 40 years.

This alarming increase — from more than 300,000 cases in the year 2010 to an expected 400,000 cases per year starting in 2050 — has experts worried. Countries in sub-Saharan Africa, where the congenital blood condition is most common, will be the hardest hit, say researchers. More than half of babies born with sickle cell anemia are from India, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Between 70,000 and 100,000 people in the United States — mostly African Americans — have the blood disorder.

Babies in the United States are routinely screened for sickle cell anemia, and with the right care and treatment those who have inherited the condition can live healthy and productive lives. But the vast majority of children in developing countries don't get diagnosed or treated for the disorder, and up to 90 percent of them will die before they reach their sixth birthday.

Universal screening programs could save the lives of 10 million newborns, according to the researchers from the University of Oxford in England. Other basic health services such as vaccinations and antibiotics could save the lives of another 5 million newborns with the disease. Genetic counseling for parents who carry the sickle cell gene can also help reduce the number of babies who inherit the disorder. The study authors say these alarming projections highlight "the need to develop specific national policies for appropriate public health planning, particularly in low- and middle-income countries."

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